The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) should request a refund from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), as Public Works has relinquished the bulk of its maintenance responsibilities, despite receiving millions of rands to complete the work, says the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services.
During a presentation yesterday, the committee heard that more than R842 million was processed and paid to the DPWI under the user charges allocation during 2024/25. However, the DPWI has since relinquished the majority of its maintenance responsibilities to the DCS, despite these payments.
Committee Chairperson Ms Kgomotoso Anthea Ramolobeng asked the DCS to elaborate on whether it has requested such a refund. “What is the process of requesting a refund? We cannot keep on paying DPWI when service ought to be done but nothing happens whilst we are sitting with correctional facilities that are highly dilapidated, on the verge of collapse,” she emphasised.
The DCS was scheduled to brief the committee on concerns raised about the state of the kitchens in correctional centres in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, as noted by the committee during oversight visits to these provinces.
The DCS indicated that it is responsible for 217 kitchens serving all correctional centres. The committee heard that the development of functions without proportional budget allocation to fund this responsibility impacts on the repair, refurbishment and maintenance of mission-critical infrastructure, such as kitchens.
The committee heard that an estimated R1.2 million is required to replace the asbestos ceiling and extractor fan at Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre.
In addition, the DPWI advertised a tender to upgrade the entire kitchen facility, including a complete kitchen upgrade, at Modderbee Correctional Centre, but no award occurred and the tender lapsed. The project was not implemented and no official feedback has been received from DPWI. The non-responsiveness prompted DCS to begin a project to renovate the floor surface during October 2024, using its own resources. Repair costs amounted to R94 464 and all the repairs were done by DCS officials and inmates. The kitchen was reopened on 4 March 2025. An estimated R7 million is still required for the replacement of the required kitchen equipment.
DCS informed the committee that the kitchen at Westville Medium A was closed during February 2025, due to non-compliance. The production of meals is undertaken by the neighbouring kitchens within the Westville Management Area. An in-house artisan’s project began the preparation work. The committee heard that an estimated budget of R12 million is required to finalise the project, by replacing kitchen equipment, refurbishing the floor surface, tiling and painting.
The committee raised concerns about the water leakage and flooding of basement areas at Johannesburg Correctional Centre. The DCS, as an interim solution pending the implementation of the major repair and renovation project, frequently drains the flooded areas by means of mechanical discharge, repairing leaks and clearing of discharge systems.
The committee heard that the DCS requires R1.2 billion to refurbish the entire Johannesburg Correctional Centre management area.
The DCS said due to insufficient budget allocations over the Medium-Term Economic Framework period, it will not be in a position to implement the required repair and renovation project and therefore will implement day-to-day maintenance operations to ensure the safety and well-being of inmates and staff.
Ms Ramolobeng said the committee is pleased to note that DCS has started to operate outside the ambit of DPWI. “When we took over as this portfolio committee last year, this is something we have been emphasising. The state of the K-block at Modderbee can collapse at any time.”
Committee Member Mr Carl Niehaus said the DCS should rather “get rid” of the DPWI and train and skill inmates. According to him, the skilling of inmates would assist with employment for inmates for when they are re-integrated in society.
The committee appreciated the fact that one of the three bakeries in KwaZulu-Natal is operational. “It would ease the cost of buying bread for daily use. We will monitor the remaining two bakeries,” the Chairperson said.
Committee Member Mr Mzwanele Major Sokopo asked if the DCS has done a projection on the saving it could have made if it had more bakeries to produce things like bread, which is consumed daily in large quantities in facilities countrywide. “How much are you spending on bread over a period? What will be the cost savings if you build a bakery and how much would you have saved in that was done in-house?” he asked.
Meanwhile, the committee Chairperson noted the work done on the concerns it raised. She urged the department to continue to use inmate labour to ensure cost containment but also transfer of skills.
Rajaa Azzakani
28 May 2025
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